The meeting in Benghazi comes after increased arrivals of migrants from Haftar-controlled eastern Libya into southern Europe, prompting Greek concern over border security. Gerapetritis's visit also aimed to counter the geopolitical influence of the Türkiye-Libya maritime memorandum, which Greece opposes.

The visit was viewed as an effort to re-establish relations with Libya’s eastern administration, which operates independently from the UN-recognized government in Tripoli.

Greek Business Invited Into Reconstruction

Following one-on-one talks with Haftar, Gerapetritis also met with his son, Belkacem Haftar, who is in charge of reconstruction efforts in eastern Libya. Belkacem extended an invitation to Greek companies to participate in rebuilding projects across the war-torn country.

Gerapetritis is expected to continue his diplomatic outreach with a scheduled trip to Tripoli on July 15 for talks with officials from the internationally recognized western government.

Libya Remains Divided

Libya has remained politically fractured since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. Rival governments—one in Tripoli under Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and the other in Benghazi under Haftar—continue to control separate regions with support from competing international actors.

Athens seeks to play a mediating role while protecting its strategic interests in the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.